Birthday Princess
by HuesoftheMorning
Summary: It's been a month since Eli joined Muse, and she's the last person Nico would ever invite to a party. Luckily for her, Eli showed up anyways.


Written for yzyr. Thanks for all the amazing reviews!

* * *

It was pretty abysmal, really. Faded streamers drooping down the walls, a deflated balloon drifting forlornly in the breeze from the whiny fan, and scribbled crayon drawings taped over the couch. It was supposed to be a throne. Normally Nico would have played along, but tonight she just didn't feel like a princess.

"It's wonderful," she said anyways, putting a big smile on her face and flopping down on the seat. Her siblings gathered around her like loyal subjects, hope in their eyes. "You guys are the best."

They cheered, rushing to hug Nico and climbing on her lap and talking over each other in their excitement.

"Happy birthday, big sis!"

"Happy birthday!"

"Birthday!"

Games came next, monopoly money and trouble pieces soon scattered across the floor. Nico let them win, pouting in mock disappoint and complaining about the hardships of being Birthday Girl. Her siblings laughed, and Nico tried to ignore the hollow feeling echoing in her chest.

She had never been so glad to hear the doorbell ring.

"Be right back." She tossed her cards on the table and scrambled to her feet. Her heart was pounding, a painful mix of anxiousness and a pressing need to get away. Hands curled into fists, fingernails digging into her palms. The pain was sharp.

Then the door revealed Eli, and the feeling dried up like the desert sands. Nico swallowed hard, tucking her emotions away and leaning casually on the doorway.

"Sup?"

"I. Um."

"What's up," Nico clarified, rolling her eyes. Three years in Japan and the most common slang still threw Eli for a loop. It was almost aggravating, sometimes, but then everything about Eli could fall under that category. Her insistance on puncuality was a pain, and honestly an afront to Nico's lazy habits, but she had to admit it was surprisingly nice to see everyone show up on time so they could get things done. And boy, did Eli want to get a lot of things done. Umi was bad enough, but she couldn't hold a candle to Miss Student Council President. Nico would bet money that Eli had blocked time for brushing her teeth in that little planner she carried around every where.

"Ah!" Eli said, and Nico realized that she had completely missed Eli's explanation. Oops. "Sorry, I was rambling a bit, wasn't I? Really, I just came by to wish you a happy birthday and give you this. I didn't mean to interrupt, I'm sure you're busy partying or something. I'll let you get back to that, so here."

Nico stared at the gift and wondered if she had gone into shock. It was beautifully wrapped, pink paper folded neatly around the box and a white ribbon curled on top. A card poked out from underneath it, and of course Eli would write a card, Nico didn't know why she was so surprised; Eli probably expected a thank you card in return. She'd be waiting a while on that one.

"Thanks," Nico finally said, taking the present with gentle hands. She hesitated in the doorway, thinking of the messy living room, the dirty dishes in the sink, the sad looking cake waiting in the fridge. What would Eli think, with her neat wrapping skills and pristine life? But this was a different Eli, hands clasped behind her back and a sheepish smile on her face as she rocked back and forth on her heels, not the Ice Queen who lead with an iron fist. Nico remembered that the cake was chocolate, and somehow that made all the difference.

"You can come in."

"What?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, this is a one time only offer!" Nico called it over her shoulder as she headed back inside, present cradled carefully under her arm. After a moment Eli followed, slipping her shoes off and rushing to catch up.

"Are you sure it's okay? I'm not intruding, am I?"

"Don't be such a worry wart. I wouldn't invite you if you were intruding, would I?"

"I suppose not..." Eli was looking up and down the hallway, taking in the pictures on the walls: Nico, standing on an abandoned stage, looking awfully proud of herself; her mother, two children in her arms with Nico carrying the third at her feet; the four children all in Nico's traditional idol pose, big smiles on their faces - there were more, some framed and some taped up, and when Eli finally looked away they were in the kitchen.

Nico set the present down on the table. She'd open it later, after desert, as if it was a birthday party and it would be the event of the evening. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what Eli got her. Something like excitement ran through her. One of those little Russian dolls, perhaps? Or maybe something stiff and Eli-like, like a box of pens. It was impossible to know what went through Eli's mind.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to the kids," Nico said, pushing the thoughts away. She could hear them growing restless in the other room. Who knew what they'd get up to unsupervised.

They loved Eli the moment they saw her. They ran up to her, eyes wide, bouncing up and down as they asked a million questions. Eli took it all in stride, crouching down to their level and answering everything in a calm voice. It was rather charming, really; Nico felt herself relax, just a little.

"Why'd you come here?" Cocoro was asking, moving on from questions about hair and height and Eli's funny voice. Eli had laughed a bit at that one, her cheeks pink with embarrassment as she explained her slight Russian accent. Nico had always found it rather pleasing to listen to, though Eli tried her hardest to conceal it.

"I came to give Nico a birthday present," Eli was saying, glancing at Nico with a smile.

"What'd you get her?"

"That's a secret." This time Eli winked, sending the kids into giggles. Nico huffed, crossing her arms and pouting.

"They're going to like you more than me at this rate."

Eli just shrugged, smiling that charming smile of hers. The kids laughed again, pulling them both into the room then running off to find a board game befitting the guest and the birthday girl. Their chatter faded away as they moved through the hall, and suddenly it was quiet in the living room.

"Some lovely decorations you have here," Eli murmured, looking around again. The streamers had fallen to the ground, sad and limp.

"They stayed up all night setting things up, running around and making noise." Nico stretched out on the ground, glad for the moment of peace. "How'd you even know it was my birthday anyway? Did you abuse your President status to go digging around in my file?"

Eli looked almost offended for a moment, but it turned quickly into confusion. "Shouldn't everyone know it's your birthday?"

"Hah. As if. One day when I get the fame I deserve, then the whole world will know! But no one really cares right now."

Nico said it plainly, for it was the truth, and it had long since ceased to bother her. Eli was having none of it.

"Don't say that. Your siblings care, and everyone in Muse cares, and I care too."

"Oooo, is this a confession? I should have known! The great and stoic Ayase has some room in her heart for something other than work! I'm so flattered."

"Nico!" Eli was blushing, her face growing red. Nico laughed, sitting back up to grin at Eli. She was surprisingly easy to fluster, and Nico took delight in this new knowledge.

"A-anyways," Eli said, coughing to cover up her embarrassment. "I saw your birthday on your profile. On that new Muse website you set up."

"You actually looked at that?" Sure, Nico had spent hours working on that, cajoling everyone into putting information up for their fans, but she had never expected anyone to actually use it.

"Of course. You told us all to, didn't you?"

"I guess I did, huh." That had been at a meeting, almost three weeks ago now. Not only had Eli actually listened, but remembering all this time later-

"Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you."

"Am I?"

"We're back!" The kids rushed into the room, falling over each other as they tried to set their prize on the table. Nico didn't have time to respond, not that she would have, but she couldn't help but feel that Eli was pleased.

"We're playing Life!" Cocoro said proudly.

"Yeah, we figured it would be good 'cause you're getting older!"

Nico gaped at that, then grabbed Cocoa before the little girl could get away.

"Oh, you're not getting off easy for that one! The Tickle Monster is going to punish you now!"

"N-no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Cocoa was laughing as Nico tickled her, squirming to escape as her siblings stood by and watched. They shook their heads, accepting the loss of their sister and making no move to help. Eli, forgotten in the commotion, was smiling at this new side to Nico she was seeing.

When Cocoa was finally released they turned to setting up the game, sticking the little pegs in the little cars. Eli choose the college starting option, despite ridicule from Nico.

"It's a good choice in the long run. I'll have more career options and make more money, you'll see."

"Sure, I'll see you sitting in the retirement home while I lounge about in my millionare mansion."

"And just how are you going to pay for that?"

"Wait and see, Eli, wait and see." And if Nico had marked the back of the idol career card all those years ago, a small nick in the top corner that most people wouldn't notice, so that she could always pick it out from the others, then, well, who could fault her? It was her game, after all, and no one could tell her it was against the rules. She flipped the card over with confidence, smugness growing as Eli screwed up her face in annoyance and disdain.

They let Kotaro win, his blue car proudly sitting at the finish line and a huge smile on his face.

More games followed: Candy Land, where Nico pretended to be Princess Lolly to the delight of her siblings; Monopoly, with Eli the stern hand of the banker; Sorry, which took almost two hours after Nico and Eli had been overcome with competivitiness, placing their pieces with calculation to destroy each other's progress. By the end of it all they were exhausted, but it was the good kind of exhaustion, brought on by too much laughter and smiles so wide they left cheeks hurting. Nico leaned on Eli, catching her breath, little bubbles of laughter still rising up. Somehow it felt completely natural, sitting there together as if they had been friends for years, instead of meeting as rivals barely two months ago.

That wasn't entirely true, Nico admitted to herself. Rivalry was a back and forth fight, but aside from those first few weeks after Eli had joined Muse, she had been nothing but caring and kind. Kinder than the others, who sometimes forgot completely about her; kinder than Nozomi, who'd rather play around with people's feelings than sit down and listen. From the moment they first spoke to each other, Eli had always treated Nico as an equal.

 _... and I care too..._

Nico shook the words from her head. "Come on, let's have some cake."

* * *

"So where'd you get it?" Rin asked for the third time, hovering over Nico's shoulder as they stepped onto the roof.

Beside her, Honoka gasped, as if suddenly coming to a realization. "I bet Nico-chan stole it!"

"I did not!" Nico glared at the two girls, covering her new bracelet with a protective hand. "Don't insult it like that!"

"You can't insult jewerly, that makes no sense." There was Maki, chiming in, despite her insistence that she didn't care one way or the other about the whole debate. A moment later she added: "But, really, where did you find that? It looks like something from a high class jewerly store."

"I," Nico started, standing tall and matter-of-factly, "got it as a present for my birthday."

There was a beat of silence, and then five people spoke at once.

"That's so cool!"

"Wait, it was your birthday?"

"Who gave it to you?"

"Happy birthday!"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Nico shrugged, a smirk on her lips. "Because I had the best birthday party in the world, and you guys would have ruined it. Duh."

In the commotion that followed, Nico's eyes slid to Eli's, and the two of them shared a smile, unnoticed, and the bracelet caught the sun and scattered flecks of rainbows across the rooftop.


End file.
